Good afternoon, folks.
Welcome along to our liveblog for Munster’s vital Heineken Champions Cup clash with Racing 92 in Paris.
It’s a must-win game for Munster in their bid to reach the knockout stages.
We’ll keep you posted on all the major moments throughout the game, which kicks off at 3.15pm Irish time.
Here’s how the teams will line up…
Racing 92:
15. Brice Dulin
14. Teddy Thomas
13. Virimi Vakatawa
12. Henry Chavancy
11. Juan Imhoff
10. Finn Russell
9. Teddy Iribaren
1. Eddy Ben Arous
2. Camille Chat
3. Ben Tameifuna
4. Boris Palu
5. Dominic Bird
6. Wenceslas Lauret
7. Bernard Le Roux
8. Antonie Claassen
Replacements:
16. Teddy Baubigny
17. Hassane Kolingar
18. Cedate Gomes Sa
19. Donnacha Ryan
20. Fabien Sanconnie
21. Maxime Machenaud
22. Ben Volavola
23. Olivier Klemenczak
Munster:
15. Mike Haley
14. Andrew Conway
13. Chris Farrell
12. Rory Scannell
11. Keith Earls
10. JJ Hanrahan
9. Conor Murray
1. Dave Kilcoyne
2. Niall Scannell
3. Stephen Archer
4. Jean Kleyn
5. Billy Holland
6. Peter O’Mahony (captain)
7. Jack O’Donoghue
8. CJ Stander
Replacements:
16. Kevin O’Byrne
17. Jeremy Loughman
18. John Ryan
19. Arno Botha
20. Chris Cloete
21. Craig Casey
22. Dan Goggin
23. Shane Daly
As a matter of fact there’s a change on the Racing 92 bench. Baptiste Chouzenoux is in for former Munster man Donnacha Ryan, who’s suffering from a stomach bug.
Injury also rules Simon Zebo out for Racing 92.
Racing 92 0-0 Munster
The game is underway.
Racing 92 0-0 Munster
Munster enjoying a sustained period of possession early on.
Racing 92 0-3 Munster
Good start for Munster culminates with JJ Hanrahan slotting over a confidence-boosting penalty from in front of the posts.
Racing 92 0-3 Munster
Teddy Thomas thought he was in for a try for Racing there but referee Wayne Barnes had already blown up for a scrum.
Racing 92 0-3 Munster
Russell’s pass is dropped by Imhoff just inside Racing’s half. Scrum to Munster.
Racing 92 0-3 Munster
Racing wheel the scrum around and Munster have a penalty.
Racing 92 0-6 Munster
A much more difficult kick than the first one but Hanrahan makes it two from two nevertheless. They’ll be very pleased with this start.
Racing 92 0-6 Munster
Questions being asked of the Munster defence now as Racing try and force their way into the opposition’s 22.
Racing 92 0-6 Munster
Racing are sloppy again, however, and Munster get a scrum from which the ball is sent into Racing territory.
Racing 92 0-6 Munster
Racing on the back foot as they defend their own line with Munster going through the phases.
Racing 92 0-6 Munster
A Racing infringement at the breakdown gives Munster another penalty in front of the posts.
Racing 92 0-9 Munster
Hanrahan makes no mistake to increase Munster’s lead.
Racing 92 0-9 Munster
Kleyn penalised for impeding the runner and Racing will have a chance to get off the mark.
Racing 92 3-9 Munster
Iribaren splits the posts to open Racing’s account.
Racing 92 3-9 Munster
Vakatawa gathers Russell’s chip over the top and brings Racing into a promising position, but again the home side are unable to capitalise.
Racing 92 3-9 Munster
Danger for Munster as Russell darts towards the line but O’Mahony comes to the rescue with a brilliant tackle!
Excellent tackle by Peter O'Mahony. Try-saver!
— Murray Kinsella (@Murray_Kinsella) January 12, 2020
Racing 92 3-9 Munster
Vakatawa making plenty of yards for Racing now. The home side have their dander up.
Racing 92 3-9 Munster
Haley saves Munster’s bacon after Russell kicked through for Imhoff to chase.
Racing 92 3-9 Munster
Vakatawa drops Iribaren’s pass but Racing recover the ball, Iribaren sends a huge pass out wide to Thomas and it looks like a Racing try. The TMO is first checking for a potential Vakatawa knock-on.
TRY! Racing 92 8-9 Munster (Thomas, 30)
Racing 92 8-9 Munster
“It’s tight,” says Wayne Barnes, but the try is given.
Iribaren, who set it up with an outrageous pass, is unable to add the extras so Munster retain the lead.
Sweet Moses Teddy Iribaren
— Duncan Williams (@WilliamsDuncan) January 12, 2020
Racing 92 11-9 Munster
O’Mahony is penalised and Iribaren kicks Racing into the lead.
Racing 92 11-9 Munster
Munster awarded a penalty just inside the Racing half but Hanrahan’s effort sails to the left of the posts.
Racing 92 11-14 Munster (Conway, 38)
Racing 92 11-14 Munster
What a huge moment! Racing had the Munster defence stretched and they looked certain to score a try, but Chavancy’s pass was intercepted by Conway, who then ran the length of the pitch to score for the visitors.
Racing 92 11-16 Munster
Hanrahan converts and Munster lead by five as we approach the interval.
Half-time: Racing 92 11-16 Munster
Racing 92 11-16 Munster
Munster will be very satisfied with how the scoreboard looks as they head into the changing rooms. It’s finely poised in Paris so join us shortly for the second half.
Some huge defensive plays from Munster in that half.
— Murray Kinsella (@Murray_Kinsella) January 12, 2020
✅ Peter O'Mahony's try-saver.
✅ Mike Haley stopping Imhoff.
✅ Andew Conway's intercept try.
Racing 92 11-16 Munster
The teams are back out on the pitch.
Racing 92 11-16 Munster
The game has resumed.
Racing 92 11-16 Munster
Promising start to the second half for Munster is halted as they’re penalised inside the Racing 22. Looked like a neck roll from Archer.
Racing 92 11-16 Munster
Thomas attempts to kick through for Vakatawa to chase but Haley makes an important block.
Racing 92 11-16 Munster
Racing turning the screw here as they aim to regain the lead.
Racing 92 14-16 Munster
Munster deemed offside so it comes back for a Racing penalty, which Iribaren converts.
Racing 92 14-16 Munster
Earls and O’Donoghue bring Munster into Racing’s half with a couple of superb carries. Russell is penalised at the breakdown, presenting Hanrahan which a chance to kick for three points.
Racing 92 14-19 Munster
A very well executed kick by Hanrahan restores Munster’s five-point lead.
Racing 92 17-19 Munster
Murray coughs up a penalty, which Iribaren slots over to leave two between the teams again.
Racing 92 17-19 Munster
Conway chases his own kick in search for a second Munster try but Dulin dots down after getting there first.
Racing 92 17-19 Munster
Concern for Munster as Russell cuts through the defence. O’Donoghue is penalised at the breakdown, presenting Racing with a chance to go ahead.
Racing 92 20-19 Munster
Iribaren makes no mistake and Racing are in the lead.
Racing 92 20-19 Munster
Another testing kick through by Conway forces Iribaren to kick the ball out of play a couple of yards shy of the Racing line. Great position for Munster to be in.
Racing 92 20-19 Munster
Munster knocking at the door here.
Racing 92 20-19 Munster
Farrell forces his way over but it looks like he was held up by Vakatawa.
Munster scrum.
Racing 92 20-19 Munster
Kleyn’s drive for the line comes up short. Murray then looks for Holland, who knocks on. However, it’s been brought back for a Munster penalty and they’ll go for the posts.
Racing 92 20-22 Munster
From straight in front of the posts, Hanrahan kicks Munster back into the lead.
Racing 92 20-22 Munster
Good passage of Munster play is almost scuppered by a bad pass from Niall Scannell as he looked for his brother Rory. However, they’ve recovered possession. Decent bit of momentum behind Munster at the moment.
Racing 92 20-22 Munster
Niall Scannell loses the ball forward and Racing send it deep into Munster territory.
Racing 92 20-22 Munster
Increased sense of urgency about Racing now following the introduction of the energetic Maxime Machenaud.
Racing 92 20-22 Munster
Racing hammering away and they’ve got a penalty in the back pocket.
Racing 92 20-22 Munster
Try for Racing? The TMO is checking the grounding on another potential Teddy Thomas score.
Racing 92 20-22 Munster
The TMO is also checking for offside, Barnes wondering if Thomas was ahead of Russell when the out-half kicked to the corner. But it looks fine on that front.
TRY! Racing 92 25-22 Munster (Thomas, 72)
Racing 92 25-22 Munster
A brilliant kick by Finn Russell and Teddy Thomas did superbly to finish it off. Machenaud missed the conversion so there are three points between the teams as we head down the stretch.
Racing 92 25-22 Munster
Munster in possession but struggling to gain ground. They’re then penalised at the breakdown on halfway. Big turnover for Racing.
TRY! Racing 92 30-22 Munster (Vakatawa, 77)
Racing 92 30-22 Munster
Killer blow for Munster. Racing spread the ball wide and Vakatawa finds a gap to score the try that his performance deserved.
Racing 92 32-22 Munster
Machenaud converts to stretch the gap to 10 points.
TRY! Racing 92 37-22 Munster (Imhoff, 80)
Racing 92 39-22 Munster
Imhoff seals the bonus point at the death, with Machenaud converting.
Full-time: Racing 92 39-22 Munster
Racing 92 have booked their place in the quarter-finals but Munster are extremely unlikely to join them there now. Despite leading for long spells in this game, they go home empty-handed.
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